Max has first outing in RB13: "The car feels good"

Published on 28 February 2017 by Stefan Meens

On the second day of the first pre-season test at Barcelona, Max Verstappen drove the new RB13 for the first time. The Red Bull Racing driver set the fifth fastest lap after completing 31 laps on the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

Lewis Hamilton was fastest in the Mercedes, setting a 1:20.983 on the super-soft Pirellis. Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari) and Esteban Ocon (Force India) completed the top three.

“The feeling in the car was good. But I really want to get plenty of laps in, especially long runs”, was Max Verstappen’s quick response during lunch.

After Red Bull Racing struggled on the opening day, the Milton Keynes outfit was set on completing plenty of laps and gathering as much data as possible. As the morning session got underway, Max’ car was therefore adorned with aero rakes.

Max’ first timed lap is set on the soft compound. Later on in the session, the Dutchman switched to the medium Pirellis for a longer run. Apart from a minor issue which caused the RB13 to lose speed on the main straight, Verstappen is able to complete 31 laps during the morning session.

Bigger problems hit McLaren. After a troublesome day yesterday, engine problems limited Stoffel Vandoorne’s progress to 29 laps.

The morning session saw two red flags. Rookie Lance Stroll spun his Williams, 40 minutes into the session exiting turn 9. Furthermore, Esteban Ocon was forced to park his Force India track side.

Pre-Season Test 1 - Circuit de Barcelona-Cataluyna - Tuesday 28 February 2017

RESULTS DAY 2 - MORNING SESSION

1	 L. Hamilton	 Mercedes	1.20.983		66
2	 K. Raikkonen	 Ferrari	1.22.831		47
3	 E. Ocon	 Force India	1.23.045		27
4	 K. Magnussen	 Haas   	1.23.200		36
5	 M. Verstappen	 Red Bull	1.23.212		31
6	 D. Kvyat 	 Toro Rosso	1.25.012		44
7	 L. Stroll	 Williams	1.26.040		12
8	 S. Vandoorne	 McLaren	1.26.201		29
9	 A. Giovinazzi	 Sauber  	1.33.741	 	5
10	 J. Palmer	 Renault         	 	 	1